Luke Raley DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Seattle Mariners first baseman Luke Raley (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants. Raley has struggled against left-handed pitching in his career, so he'll take a seat against southpaw Robbie Ray on Saturday. In his absence, Cal Raleigh will slide over to the designated hitter spot while Mitch Garver does the catching. There's a good chance that Raley only plays in a platoon role for the Mariners this season. That being said, it might be difficult for Raley to hold fantasy value outside of AL-only formats.

Seattle Mariners first baseman Luke Raley picked up his first home run of the 2025 season on Monday night at home against the Tigers. His long ball came in the fourth inning of impressive rookie Jackson Jobe, and at that point, the solo shot cut the Tigers' lead to 8-3. Ultimately, Detroit held on to win 9-6, and Raley finished the night 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. In the early going this season, Raley is 2-for-8 (.250) with three walks and three strikeouts. He typically hits in the heart of the order when he's in the lineup, but he has not started in either of the Mariners' two games against left-handed starting pitchers. He does provide home run potential, but he isn't quite mixed-league material given his role in a platoon at first for the M's.

Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley could see time against left-handed pitching. Last season, the 30-year-old deployed exclusively on the strong side of a platoon. However, manager Dan Wilson suggested that he first base may not be a "strict" platoon in 2025. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in spring training as it could provide clarity on his potential for increased playing time. Last season, Raley held a .243/.320/.463 line with 22 home runs and 11 stolen bases, facing exclusively right-handed pitching. He generated a strong 11.0 percent barrel rate and held a 90.1 mph average exit velocity. Donovan Solano would likely face left-handed pitching if Raley were to revert to a strict platoon. Raley is worth a late-round target especially in deeper formats as he could enjoy a career-season with increased at-bats.

Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (undisclosed) is back in the starting nine for Saturday afternoon's contest against the Chicago White Sox. Raley was dealing with an undisclosed injury throughout the week but has been cleared ahead of Saturday's game. He will start at first base and bat in the cleanup spot. Last season, Raley was on the strong side of a platoon as he made only two starts against southpaws. In 137 contests, the 30-year-old held a .243/.320/.463 slash line with 22 home runs and 11 stolen bases. He generated a modest .316 xwOBA with a low .220 xBA, suggesting he may face some regression during the 2025 campaign. Fantasy managers should expect Raley to have a similar role at first base in 2025, making him an intriguing late-round option in deeper formats.

Seattle Mariners first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley (undisclosed) was scratched from Tuesday's Cactus League lineup for undisclosed reasons against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tyler Locklear replaced Raley in the starting lineup and is batting fifth and playing first base. We'll post an update on Raley if he was scratched due to an injury. The 30-year-old left-handed hitter enjoyed his first year in Seattle in 2024, slashing .234/.320/.463 with a career-high 22 home runs, 58 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 58 runs scored in 137 games and 455 plate appearances. He especially excelled at T-Mobile Park, although his fantasy value was limited because of the fact that he only started twice against left-handed pitchers. Twenty of his 22 home runs also came against righties. Raley has fanned at over a 30% clip in his career, but his power stroke from the left side makes him a valuable corner-infield commodity in deeper fantasy leagues.